Endurance-testing machine.



H. SOUTHERQ ENDURANCE TESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 9, 1907.

926,5 1 3., Patented June 29, 1909.

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H. SOUTHER.

ENDURANCE TESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.9, 1907.

HENRY SOUTHER, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

ENDURANCE-TESTING MACHINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. August 9, 1907.

Patented June 29, 1909.

Serial No. 387,826.

To all 107mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY SOUTIIER, of Hartford, Hartford county,Connecticut, have invented a new and useful lllndurance- TestingMachine, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadto the accompai'iying drawings, forming a part of this specification, inwhich Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved machine, and F2 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation ofone end of the .machine, showing more in detail the means forautomatically disconnecting the counter. Fig. l is an end elevationthereof. Fig. 5 is a detail view of another means for automaticallydisconnecting the counter. Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of theweights.

The purpose of my invention is to provide ellicient means for subjectingtest pieces of metal to endurance tests.

The machine which I have devised is ellicient and reliable in itsoperation: and it gives the tests in duplicate.

In view of the fact, an endurance test, to be absolutely accurate shouldbe kept going without cessation from start to finish, that is to sayfrom start to rupture of the specimen, it is an important object of thepresent invention to provide a machine which will offectually answerthis requirement, and, therefore, I provide for automaticallyregistering the number of rotations of the specimen up to the time ofrupture, whereby the machine may be run continuously both day and nightwithout requiring the presence of an attendant to note the time ofrupture of the specimen.

lle'ferring to the drawing, 2 represents a rotary socket preferablyforming part of a pulley-wheel 3 and adapted to receive and clamp thespecimen 4 to be tested, which is preferably of greater diameter at itsmiddle than at its end portions. The socket 2 has an opening extendingfrom end to end, so that the test specimen can be applied thereto withits middle portion held within the socket and both ends projectingtherefrom. The test piece l not only has its middle portion of greaterdiameter than the portions which project outside the socket, but thereare intermediate fillets shown in Fig. 2 between these portions whichenable standard results to be obtained.

The specimen is inserted in the socket and is held therein by a suitabledevice, for

example, by taper sleeves 5 which enter the socket and are compressedtherein by nuts 6. Other sleeves or clamping means may be employed. Thesocket 2 is rotatablyanounted, preferably on ball bearings 7, within aring 8 on base 9. The ends of the specimen are inserted within rings 10which are preferably provided with ball bearings 11 and the rings areattached to rods or supporting devices 12, to which weights may beapplied for the purpose of applying the desired stress. At the ends ofthe machine are counters 13 to register the number of revolutions of thespecimens, and these counters are connected to the specimens by suitablespeed-reducing connections 14 adapted to be automatically disconnectedwhen the end of the specimen adjacent to the particular connection isbroken. it will here be explained that each counter 13 is provided ateach side with a bearing or bracket (.1 adjustably mounted upon theadjacent horizontal bar I) of the frame of the machine, there being asetscrew c piercing the hearing or bracket and engaging the bar to holdthe counter when set at any desired adjustment upon the bar. Each weightrod 12 is provided at its lower end with a suitable cross head (Z, andany number of weights c are placed thereon, each weight preferably beingin the form of a disk having a radial slot f to receive the weight bar12, from which it will be understood that the weight is substantiallythe same as the weights used in ordinary beam scales.

As shown in Fig. 8, the means for automatically disconnecting thecounter from the specimen when the latter breaks consists of a pin 15suitably associated with the driving worm 16 of the counter and havingone end held against the adjacent end of the test specimen by means of aspring 17. The pin 15 carries a yoke or a pair of spaced projections 18projecting beyond the free end of the pin and adapted to engage oppositesides of studs 19 carried by the specimen and disposed diametricallyopposite one another. By this arrangement, the pin 15 rotates with thespecimen 4, but when the latter breaks, the pin 15 will drop, therebyautomatically breaking the connection between the test specimen and thecounter. In Fig. 5 the means for automatically disconnecting thespecimen and the counter consists of a helical spring 20 suitablyconnected at opposite ends with the test specimen and the driving memberof the counter.

In the use of the device weights of suitable degree are applied to therods 12 and bearing thereon through the rings 10, exert a downwardstress upon the ends of the specimen, which tend to distort it to anydesired amount. The wheel 3 is rotated by a belt or other suitablepower-connection and, as it is clamped to the specimen 4, it rotates thespecimen on its longitudinal axis and within the rings 10. This subjectsthe specimen to repeated alternate stresses of the same kind as those towhich a car axle is subjected when in use, and the Weight of the loadapplied to the rods, together with the speed of rotation by which thefrequency of the alternations of the stress is determined, will subjectthe specimen to a test of any desired degree that may be met with inpractice. The rotation may be continued until the specimen breaks at oneor both sides of the central socket, and when it breaks at either side,the revolution-counter at that side will immediately stop, and willindicate the number of revolutions to which it has been subjected priorto the rupture. The number of revolutions, the speed of the revolution,and the amount of the applied weight are the factors which determine theseverity of the test.

Those skilled in the art will be able to modify the construction of mymachine in various ways, for I consider myself to be the first toprovide a testing machine in which the specimen to be tested is held androtated at a middle point with weights applied thereto at the projectingends. As a test of both ends of the specimen is obtained at oneoperation, a valuable check is afforded, for if the breaking at one sideis due to a flaw or other local defect, while the other end of thespecimen is sound, this fact will be accurately indicated by themachine. If the test were made only at one end of the specimen, and ifthe specimen should break owin to the existence of an abnormal oraccidenta defect, no opportunity for checking the test on that specimenis afforded. Moreover, my machine makes it possible to obtain from thecentral and unstrained portion of the specimen, a standard tensilespecimen which can be separately tested after the dynamic test affordedby my machine is completed.

The machine will afford a test at any desired load or speed and it givesan especial advantage in that there is no local heat or frictiongenerated at the point of greatest stress as is the case in theoperation of many testing machines. I have operated the machinesuccessfully at a speed of 1500 revolutions per minute. It runs smoothlyand without vibration and therefore gives controllable stresses.

I claim:

1. A testing machine having a rotary support open from end to end so asto permit the insertion and holding of a specimen, with both ends freeand projecting therefrom, and load-supporting bearings adapted to beapplied at the ends of the specimen.

2. A testing machine having a rotary support open from end to end so asto permit the insertion and holding of a specimen, with both ends freeand projecting therefrom, and load-supporting bearings adapted to beapplied at the ends of the specimen, said loadsupporting bearings havinganti-friction bearings interposed between them and the specimen.

3. A testing machine having a rotary support adapted to hold the middleportion of a specimen with its ends projecting therefrom,load-supporting bearings adapted to be applied at the ends of thespecimen, revolution counters for the ends of the specimen andspeed-reducing gearing interposed between the revolution counters andthe specimen.

4. An endurance testing machine having means for holding a specimenintermediate of its ends and rotating the same with the ends free, meansfor applying stress to the ends of the specimen, and means forassociation with each end of the specimen for registering the number ofrevolutions up to the breaking point, substantially as described.

5. An endurance testing machine having means for holding a specimen atits middle with its ends free and rotating the same, means for applyingstress to the ends of the specimen, and means for association with eachend of the specimen for registering the number of revolutions up to thebreaking point, substantially as described. 7

6. An endurance testing machine having means for holding a specimenintermediate of its ends with said ends free and rotating the same,means for applying stress to the free end portions of the specimen atpoints inwardly from its extremities, and means for association witheach extremity of the speci men to register the number of revolutions upto the breaking point, substantially as described.

7. An endurance testing machine having a hollow open-ended rotatablesupport constructed to receive a specimen with its ends projectingtherefrom, means to rigidly associate the specimen with the rotatablesupport, means for applying stress to the end portions of the specimen,and means for association with the ends of the specimen for registeringthe number of revolutions up to the breaking point, substantially asdescribed.

8. An endurance testing machine comprising a support having a bearing, arotary member having an axial through-passage mounted in the bearing,anti-friction devices between the rotary member and the bearing atopposite sides of the middle of the bearing, means for rigidly securinga specimen in the rotary member with the ends of the specimen projectingtherefrom, means for applying stress to the end portions of thespecimen, and means for association with the ends of the specimen forregistering the number of revolutions up to the breaking point,substantially as described.

9. An endurance testing machine comprising a support having spacedopen-ended bearings, a pulley Wheel working between the bearings andhaving a hollow open-ended hub rotatably mounted in the bearings, meanscarried by the hub for rigidly securing an intermediate portion of aspecimen in the hub with its ends projecting therel'rom,

means for applying stress to the ends of the specimen, and means forassociation with the ends of the specimen for registering the number ofrevolutions up to the breaking point, substantially as described.

10. An endurance testing machine having rotatable means for supporting aspecimen intermediate of its ends,with said ends free for theapplication of stress, and means for connecting the specimen and thesupporting means for simultaneous rotation substantially as described.

11. An endurance testing machine comprising a support, a bearingthereon, a rotatable member mounted in said support and having an aXialthrough-passage formed to receive an intermediate portion of a specimenwith its ends projecting, means carried by the rotatable member, andconnecting a specimen thereto, counters carried by the support atopposite sides of the rotary member and disposed for association withthe respective free ends of a specimen for registering the number ofrevolutions thereof up to the breaking point, and means located betweenthe rotary member and each counter for applying lateral stress to theadjacent free end portion of the specimen, substantially as described.

12. The herein described endurance testing method which consists insupporting a specimen intermediate of its ends and rotating it with itsends free, applying stress to each end of the specimen, and registeringthe number of revolutions ol each end of the specimen up to its breakingpoint, substantially as described.

13. An endurance testing machine having means for supporting androtating a specimen with a portion of it free, means for placing stressupon. said tree portion of the specimen, a rotary counter, and aconnection between said free portion of the specimen and. the counterwhich is adapted to become automatically disconnected when the speeimenbreaks, substantially as described.

14. An endurance testing machine having means for supporting androtating a specimen with one end i'ree, means for placing stress uponsaid free end of the specimen, a rotary counter, and a connectionbetween the free end of the specimen and the counter which .is adaptedto become automatimlly disconnected hen said free end ol the speci menbreaks, substantially as described.

15. An endurance testing machine having means for supporting androtating a specimen with one end free, means for applying stress to thefree end portion of the specimen at a point inward from its freeextremity, a rotary counter, and a connection between said free end ofthe specimen and the counter which is adapted to become automaticallydisconnected when the specimen breaks, substantially as described.

16. An endurance testing machine having means for supporting androtating a specimen with its ends tree, means for placing stress uponeach end of the specimen, a retary counter for each end of the specimen,and connections betueen the ends of the specimen and the respectivecounters which are adapted to become autonmtically disconnected when therespective ends of the specimen break, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY SOUilllllt.

Witnesses:

lion'r. S. KEARNEY, A. E. \v'ALLAoe.

